The Scenario Series
by Tsubasa Hane
Summary: Ten different scenes focusing on conversations between characters. INCOMPLETE
1. Sakura & Sasuke

The idea for this story began with a dream I had one night, from which I based the entire first chapter. From there, I was further inspired to write several follow-up scenes where several of the characters have one-on-one conversations with each other, some romantic and some otherwise. Each scene will be rather short, almost to the point of drabble, but the catch is that they can all be tied together in the end (sort of).

Having just recently got into **Naruto**, I'm still a little vague in terms of characterizations. Much of what I "know" about characters, in fact, comes from various fanfictions on this site I've read. I've only seen a certain number of anime episodes (though I am up to date in the anime storyline), and have yet to read much of the manga. In terms of continuity, I suppose you can place this story somewhere after the time-jump. Specifically when doesn't matter.

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"The Scenario Series"  
Part 1 of 10  
by Tsubasa Hane

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Instincts where what first told her to run, her women's intuition screaming of the potential danger lurking in the shadows just behind her. The brush was too thick for tree-jumping, and only sporadic beams of moonlight illuminated the way. She could barely see where she was going, and only hoped she wasn't giving away enough for her stalker to discover her. For all she knew, she might as well have been running in pure darkness.

It was supposed to have been a simple mission, hardly worth of a "C" ranking. Nearby villages, three to be exact, had paid what little they could offer for additional medical supplies and assistance in the wake of a vicious attack. The enemy had long since retreated, leaving behind feelings of great relief along with the many wounded, and even a few dead.

She was clearly the best choice to send, according to Tsunade. Med-nins were always hard to lend out, with the constant fear of their assistances being needed at home looming about. Not only were her skills second in the village only to the _Godaime_ herself, but she had enough combat experience as a _kunoichi_ to warrant journey without an escort.

A decision she was suddenly regretting.

Despite her best efforts to remain unseen, there was a sudden strong chakra presence behind her. Too strong to leave to chance. Skidding to a hald, she reached for her weapons pouch. In one swift motion, she spun around and tossed a kunai at the presence.

A distinctive _clink_ reached her ears as it was caught with ease. She didn't dare move a muscle, her eyes remaining focused on the shadows. Not a sound around them could be heard, the silence near deafening, until the mysterious figure finally appeared before her, stepping into the revealing moonlight.

"…Sasuke," she whispered softly.

His eyes were the first she noticed. How could she not, when they still haunted her dreams to that very day? Cold. Unfazed. Red. _Sharinghan_ had been activated. It bore through her skull almost painfully, staring as if it were the first time he'd ever seen her. Like he was reading her every thought. Messy bangs fell over his eyes, further emphasizing their redness, with two long locks framing either side of his face. His hair had grown longer, the back falling just passed his shoulders in a low ponytail. He was pale, too. Frighteningly so. His skin practically glowed in the moonlight, and made the dark circles under his eyes even more prominent.

She never once noticed a thing about his clothing other than the fact that it was dark; her eyes never left his face.

"I admit," he broke the silence first, "of all people, I was least expecting you."

His voice surprised her in its tone, calm with traces of amusement behind it. She couldn't possibly gauge what he was feeling at the moment. For her part, she remained outwardly unfazed by his sudden appearance before her after all those years. Her stance was neutral, showing signs of neither attacking nor running away.

Silence consumed her, and he wasn't sure if it was because she couldn't speak or she wouldn't. The only sign of acknowledgement she'd given him since first saying his name was an apparent unwillingness to break eye contact.

"Sakura," he spoke again, a little harsher than before, "What are you doing here?"

It was then she realized just how coincidental their meeting truly was. By his manner of question, there was suddenly little doubt in her mind that he had nothing to do with the attacks on the villages. Which meant that he hadn't been sent after her by anyone. Chances were, he had merely sensed her presence nearby—considering she hadn't thought to mask her chakra at the time—and assumed she was there for him.

"I just came from a mission," she answered casually, as if it should have been obvious.

"By yourself?" He raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"It was a medical assistance request." She knew she wasn't supposed to disclose mission information, especially to someone like him, but couldn't stop the words from coming. "Med-nin also trained as _kunoichi_ hardly require escorts, and I'm more than qualified to travel a few hours from village to village alone."

His eyes narrowed considerably at her explanation, and she knew he was frustrated at the thought that she would lie to him. He didn't believe a word of it. Considering his last impression of her, back when they had been teammates years ago, it was hardly surprising.

He stepped forward, eyes briefly closing as a cocky smile appeared. "I highly doubt—"

The words barely passed through his lips before he was send flying backwards through the air. Initially caught off-guard, he quickly regained his composure enough to back-flip into a crouching position, sliding along the ground a few feet before coming to a halt. Without pausing, he looked up and tossed the kunai still in his hand back at her.

It landed in a tree directly behind, having missed her by mere inches. Wisps of hair flew across her face from the sudden rush of air, a few strands falling to the ground from having been sliced off. She hadn't so much as blinked.

Part of him had been expecting her to try and escape while he was momentarily distracted. She was still there. Part of him expected some weak defensive stance, as if she thought she stood a chance in a fight against him. She stood strong. One foot slightly in front of the other, fist still raised from where it had collided with his cheek. As he watched, she casually put it down. Her expression was unreadable.

"Please stay away, Sasuke," she stated softly, almost at a whisper. "I don't want to fight you. Please don't make me."

Confusing taking over, he slowly stood up. A hand went to his now throbbing cheek. The sheer force behind her punch had shocked him greatly. He hadn't expected her to be so…so strong.

_Sharinghan_ faded away, leaving his normal dark eye color.

"You sound as pathetic as always," he scoffed in an attempt to hide his surprise. "Hardly worth my time. I suppose this is the part where you ask to come with me again?"

"No."

He blinked. "…what?"

"I said no. I won't follow you anymore, Sasuke." She stared at him, her eyes softening but her voice strong and steady. "I'll wait for you forever…but I won't follow."

A sudden gust of wind broke through the thick brush around them, stirring a few of the fallen leaves and flora around them. He stared at the _kunoichi_ before him for what seemed like an eternity before stating: "You've changed."

"You've changed, Sasuke. I've grown up."

Her response caught him completely off-guard and without retort. His eyes widened slightly, unable to hide his surprise. This wasn't the pathetic weakling he knew back in Konoha, the whimpering fangirl he had left behind all those years ago. He thought back to the night where she had pleaded with him to stay. The look on her face as tears streamed down her cheeks, her voice saying things her mind couldn't possibly understand.

Up to that very night, he had never seen her as anything more than an annoyance.

Everything she wasn't acting like now. "I…suppose you have."

With one last look at her bewildered expression (having recognized the compliment he'd just given her), he slowly turned away to leave. The will to fight her had long since left him.

Her mouth opened, ready to call out his name, when he suddenly disappeared from her sight. She paused in mid-step, remembrance taking over, and so was not surprised when his presence reappeared directly behind her. She tensed up, expecting her to knock her unconscious.

Instead, he moved closer until his lips barely brushed across her ear. "Forever is a long time, Sakura."

"I know." She visibly shivered as his warm breath tickled against her neck.

"Tell the _dobe_ to stay alive. He owes me a rematch."

With a gasp, her eyes widened at the subtle implication behind his words. Breaking out of the trance, she spun around to face him…

…but he was already gone.

"Sasuke-kun…" she murmured, her voice so tiny she barely recognized it.

Alone, she finally collapsed to her knees, staring blankly at the ground in front of her. It was then she realized just how badly she had been shaking. Her legs no longer wanted to cooperate. And even if they had, her mind was already too far gone.


	2. Ino & Chouji

To start, thank you to all those who have offered to share the Narutard love in the form of manga/anime information. I've been spending the past few days watching important moments over on YouTube, along with consulting my own personal Naruto, Sasuke/Shikamaru, and Neji. I must say, **Naruto** is a writer's dream category—there are so many different characters, relationships, and events to write about. My head is spinning with the possibilities.

This next scene was originally supposed to be Part 3 of the series, but…well…the original Part 2 is a little harder to write than I originally thought because it focuses on two people who I've yet to see interact at all in the show. Personally, I think of it as another challenge. In the meantime, I'm stalling for time by switching around the order, doing a little bit of editing, and instead focusing more on the awesomeness that is Chouji. Yay Chouji!

As one of my favorite chapters of the series, I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

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"The Scenario Series"  
Part 2 of 10  
by Tsubasa Hane

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Her mind was already gone by the time he finally found her, expression as distant as the clouds she stared at so absently. They were on the very same hill their lethargic teammate would normally be, and whether she realized it or not, she had assumed a nearly identical position he would. Both hands were tucked behind her head, with one knee bent. The other leg was propped up by a few blankets, heavy bandages wrapped tightly around her swollen ankle.

It was late in the morning, and already the warm sun smiled down upon her. But the aura he sensed coming from the girl felt anything but warm. If anything, it was nearly frigid with sadness. Not because of her ankle, he knew. She'd sprained it the previous day during their usual training. No, if anything, she's been thankful for the brief vacation. Such a temporary, minor setback was hardly something she would get frustrated. Something else was troubling his friend and teammate.

"Mind if I sit?"

She blinked rapidly a few times, turning her head towards him. The sound of her teammate's voice seemed to have snapped her our of her stupor, and only then did she realize he was there.

"Oh. Hey, Chouji," she greeted him warmly. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged casually, for lack of a decent response.

Almost instinctively, she shifted her position a few inches to her right as an unspoken welcome to join her. One which he, in turn, wordlessly accepted. There had really been no need for such a motion, as the mountain hilltop was easily large enough for all of the former Rookie 9 and Team Gai to share comfortably. But it was the meaning behind it that mattered, and so he took his usual Indain-style sitting position without question before reaching behind for his knapsack.

The two of them remained in a comfortable silence for a good while. During that time, he managed to dig through his belongings enthusiastically until emerging with a bag of his favorite potato chips: barbecue-flavored, extra crispy. A gentle breeze carried the mouth-watering aroma to his nostrils as he broke the seal, and he reveled in the delicious scent. He was about to reach in for the very-imporant first chip—second only to the last chip—when he hesitated, and looked to his right.

The long blonde ponytail she always wore was strewn about the grass around her head, a few strands randomly blowing in the wind. Being on temporary hiatus, she had opted for casual civilian clothing that day as opposed to her usual _kunoichi_ ensemble. The last time he recalled her wearing it was back during the _chuunin_ exams years ago. He didn't mind either way, honestly; she was always pretty to him.

But that wasn't what caught his attention. Her face had once again twisted into a small frown, and the distant look in her eyes was so different from the normally cheerful sparkle he always knew them to hold. He stared at her for a moment, before glancing to the bag in his hands, then back at her.

"Hey, Ino?"

"Hmm?" Again, she lazily turned her head towards him.

"Would you like a chip?"

She stared at him blankly for a moment, as if not having registered what he had said. Her eyes traveled to the bag, and for a moment, he was certain she would decline. Offer up some lame excuse about having to keep up with her diet. Personally, he never understood why any girl would one to deprive herself of food just to attain a figure she already had.

Which was why, to his pleasant surprise, she shrugged her shoulders and reached into the bag. "Thanks, Chou."

He waited for her to have the first bite before speaking again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What do you mean?" she answered, looking away nervously. "Talk about what?"

"You know what." He stated, reaching in for a few bites of his own. "This mood of yours wouldn't have anything to do with Sakura-san, would it?"

For a moment, she looked like she was about to protest, but ultimately sighed in defeat and nodded. He grimaced. The young _mednin_ had returned shortly after her most recently shambles. There hadn't been a scratch on her physically, as he remembered, though neither a coherent sentence passed through her lips, nor could her eyes make contact with anyone. She'd refused to speak to anyone aside from the _Hokage_, and almost immediately following, was granted a week away from her duties at the hospital, missions, and even training sessions.

Nobody could figure out what was wrong with her. But she did, he knew. Sakura never said a word to her since the incident, but somehow she had figured out exactly what had happened that night. She knew Sakura better than anyone, knew the look in the _kunoichi_'s eyes. A look she hadn't possessed in years. One didn't grow up as childhood friends with someone without being able to tell such things.

"But that's not all," he stated. She lifted her head in surprise at his boldness. "You're worried about her, but there's also something else bothering you."

Getting over her initial reaction, she smiled sheepishly at him. She may have been able to read Sakura like no other, but it paled in comparison to how well he knew her.

"It's…kinda silly, really."

He shook his head, and in all seriousness, replied back, "If it's something that bothers you, then it's anything but silly."

With a weak laugh, she closed her eyes for a moment and tilted her head down. The hair that had come loose from her ponytail blew across her face. She hesitated from answering him for a moment, and he simply waited with patience until she was ready, understanding that it was something more important than she was willing to admit.

"I suppose it started shortly after Sakura-chan came back," she began softly. Her head remained lowered, and he almost had to struggle to hear her. "She was distraught, she was upset, and she was clearly shaken. But at the same time, as horrible as she feels…she's still able to hold herself together after something like that. She's become so much stronger over the years, both physically and emotionally."

"And that's what upsets you?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No!" She shook her head hastily. "No, that's not it. No exactly. I mean, I'm happy for her that she's grown up so much and all. I used to push her all the time when we were little so that she would. It's just…" The words died on her lips as she trailed off, leaving unspoken words hanging in the air.

A particularly strong gust of wind blew across them just as she lifted her head, and a few randomly strands of her blonde bang tickled his face. Instead of trying to push them out of the way, however, he put down in now nearly-empty bag of chips. Even a food connoisseur such as he knew some things were simply more important than enjoying a new bag of potato chips.

"It's not just Sakura-chan, though," she continued on, staring straight out in front of her. "TenTen-chan's one of the most skilled _kunoichi_ in all of _Konoha_, not to mention how unbelievably mature she's grown to be. True, most anyone would seem mature compared to Lee-san and Gai-sensei—" he smirked at the comment, "—but she and Neji just seem years ahead of us all. And don't even get me started on how much Hinata-chan's grown since our days in the academy!"

"But they're not you, Ino," he pointed out gently.

"I know that," she groaned, leaning her head against his shoulder. "That's not what I mean. I just…"

"…feel left out?"

"More like left behind."

After a pause, he shifted his weight enough so that she was forced to sit up and look at him. A frown had appeared on his face, and this time it was he who stared straight ahead. She knew him well enough to know that it wasn't her he was frowning at, though; like their genius teammate, he too grew almost unnervingly solemn whenever in deep thought. A trait the boys picked up from one another over the years, she supposed.

"I would have to disagree," he stated.

She tilted her head to the side curiously, silently urging him to elaborate further.

"Do you remember the day we were assigned our _genin_ teams?" He asked. "Your initial reactions to being placed on a team with Shikamaru and me?"

She nodded, and couldn't stop herself from wincing slightly. It wasn't one of her proudest memories: how childishly she had complained about not being on Sasuke's team…the distinct feeling of disappointment at who she had been "stuck" with…passing judgment before even giving the boys a chance…

"I won't lie, Ino. You acted like a selfish, spoiled brat who wasn't getting her way." He expression had yet to change, though the words he spoke held no signs of contempt or disgust behind them. "You and Sakura-san had such a rivalry going on at the time that you were both willing to sacrifice an important friendship that took years in the making, one very similar to that of Shikamaru and me…and for what? You dieted yourself to the point of near-starvation, despite being the thinnest girl I've ever known in my life…and for what?"

At that point, she looked away in shame. Hearing him list her faults in such a way only made her hate the way she had been even more. A hand quickly reached for her chin, however. Urging her to look at him. He had shifted positions again, turning his body to face her more directly. A very distinct blush colored both his cheeks, and he quickly released his hold on her the instant their eyes met.

"You say you feel left behind…but in some ways, I think _you_ left the other girls behind. Our team is one the strongest anyone knows, not such much physically as internally, and you're a huge part of that." He darted his sight away from her shyly. "The little girl you still see yourself as…she's gone, Ino, replaced by a mature, wonderful woman. As beautiful on the inside as she is on the out."

"Chouji…" she breathed, eyes softening at his words.

He lifted his head, trying to hide the oncoming redness with a wide smile. "After all, the old Ino would probably never have been willing to just sit and talk with me like this, would she?"

Teras welled up in her eyes, though she paid them no attention. Being careful not to disturb her ankle, she leaned forward and very slowly pressed her lips against his cheek, then pulled back just enough to repeat the motion , this time lightly brushing against his lips. The contact lasted less than a second, and she pulled away before he had a chance to react.

"Thanks, Chouji," she smiled genuinely. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

"Anytime," his expression mirroring hers, he reached up to gently wipe away some of the moisture on her cheeks, before motioning to stand. "Suddenly I'm in the mood for some pancakes, or something. It's been ages since I've eaten. Wanna come with me?"

Shaking her head slightly at the boy's never-failing appetite, then looked up at him. "Well, I don't know about pancakes, but you you want, we can head abck to my house and I'll make you some sandwiches."

His eyes lit up in delight. "Really?"

"Of course," she laughed. "You deserve them."

His eyes widened in delight, and he quickly moved to help her stand up. Along the way, he reached for his forgotten knapsack and chips. While she reached for her crutch, he peered into the nearly-empty bag, before holding it out for her to take.

She looked inside, and gasped. "But…Chouji…"

"I know," he smiled. "I want you to have it."

Her heart melted, knowing how truly meaningful the gesture was for him. Without taking her eyes away from his, she graciously accepted the bag and reached in for the very last chip, left lying at the bottom. As she bit into it, the barbecue flavor nearly overwhelmed her taste buds, and suddenly, she understood why he had always been so adamant about never letting anyone else ever have the last chip.

Until now.

He grabbed her blankets still piled on the ground, and together the two _shinobi_ wordlessly headed back into the village. They paused only once in their journey, when Ino realized something:

"Hey, Chouji?"

"Yeah?"

"Speaking of Team InoShikaChou…where the heck is Shika, anyway?"


	3. Shikamaru & Gaara

So, apparently all it takes these days to get me to update is a week-long vacation in _Italia_, a ten hour flight from Rome to New York, and a strong desire to NOT do homework. Ah, the wonders of procrastination…so appropriate, given half the cast of this scene.

But I digress. Looks like I threw quite a few of you for a loop this time by not making this chapter Temari and Shikamaru, didn't I? Despite the fact that they are my favorite Naruto couple (with Neji/Tenten a close second), not all chapters will involve romantic couples. The idea to have _Gaara_ and Shikamaru interact came about from two reasons: 1) They're two of my favorite characters (teh Sexy and teh Panda) and 2) I'm looking for a challenge. I don't even think these two have interacted much in the series, though I could be wrong. I know Shikamaru's character relatively well, but haven't seen much of _Kazekage_ Gaara. In fact, I'm writing out his character based solely on what I've read in other stories and what I've looked up on wikipedia. Wikipedia and YouTube were my two best friends this chapter.

Oh, I've also been adding a lot of in-jokes to the story, both internet-wide and some just between my friends and me. Mostly for my own amusement, and some for yours. Enjoy!

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"The Scenario Series"  
Part 3 of 10  
by Tsubasa Hane

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Shikamaru stared at the strange-looking object on the desk for the longest time, until his attention was completely distracted from the conversation at hand. He supposed it was some form of container; the faint scent of chocolate and oatmeal permeating the air around it further led him to believe it was a cookie jar. Probably kept at hand much in the same manner Tsunade always had her _sake_ set nearby for whenever her work got to be too strenuous (which, for her, was at least twice a day).

In his opinion, it looked more like a childhood gourd the _Kazekage_ had carried around during his younger years.

Shrugging the mental image of a five-year-old Gaara lugging around a gourd of cookies larger than himself, Shikamaru shifted his focus once more, this time towards a nearby window. Through the crystal barrier, he noticed a series of clouds floating by at a much faster pace than normal. No surprise, given the stronger _Suna_ winds. He also noticed that they were heading towards his home village, and vaguely wondered if they would eventually pass over his favorite hillside.

Clouds are still the same, no matter what village you come from, the lazy _chuunin_ thought to himself. They're still white and fluffy, still change into any number of shapes and images left up to the viewer to interpret. They never affiliate themselves to one single village, and nor can any village try to claim them as their own. But most of all, they're still so carefree; they certainly never have to worry about troublesome women sending them on pointless 3-day long missions to deliver a single letter….

It wasn't that he was necessarily complaining. Not entirely. In fact, he almost preferred the non-troublesome missions Tsunade had been making a habit of assigning him as of late. They were usually ranked at a decent level, not for any danger, but because of their time frame and supposed inter-village importance.

At times, Shikamaru felt like he was being sent on a paid vacation. He also felt, however, that he'd been spending more time in _Suna_ the last few months on these "vacations" than he did in _Konoha_. His mind swam with this thought in particular. It wasn't that he was bored. Boredom was something he could handle, and barely existed in his vocabulary to begin with. No, at that point it was more frustration than anything else.

Frustration at the lack of knowledge he was given.

At the fact that he hadn't seen many of his friends in weeks.

At that nagging feeling in the back of his mind that there was some underlying reason why Tsunade kept requesting **him**, personally, to continually make trips to the _Kazekage_'s office.

That last thought circulated through his brain until he thought he would explode. It was frustrating to realize his genius IQ couldn't make sense of the _Hokage_'s suspected hidden agenda, particularly since he was almost certain it involved some scene against him. And not just a little, either. To say that Nara Shikamaru was a little frustrated at that point would be like saying that Uzumaki Naruto was a little hyper, or that TenTen's aim was a little accurate, or that Tsunade's breasts were a little—

"—bigger than your head."

The usually choice of phrasing brought Shikamaru's attention back to the room with a start: "…huh?"

Gaara paused in his document report to look up, one eyebrow raised.

The boy wasn't even bothering to hide his disinterest. Were it anyone else, the young _Kazekage_ would have been furious. However, Gaara was more impressed than angry. It wasn't everyday people treated him so casually, and he'd known Shikamaru long enough by then to understand his actions as merely part of his usual mannerisms, not a sign of disrespect.

Wordlessly returning to the scroll in hand, Gaara quickly skimmed the last few lines—it would be pointless to read them aloud any further—before placing them off to the side. He reached for a clean piece of parchment and quill. Before beginning his reply, he glanced up briefly…only to find Shikamaru once more staring at the clouds.

This time, he was surprised. True, Shikamaru tended to have a short attention span for matters than held no interest to him, but Gaara had never known him to be this easily distracted.

The quill was placed back down on the table.

"She's not here."

Shikamaru turned back to see the _Kazekage_ walk up beside him. His usual sand gourd was left beside the desk, halfway across the room, though he still gave off an aura of authority with the way his arms remained folded over his chest.

"I sent her and Kankuro on a mission three days ago," he explained further. "They're not due back until this evening."

Blood rushed to his cheeks at the mention of the blonde fan-wielder. Truthfully, he hadn't really thought of _her_ until that moment, though now a collage of troublesome thoughts made quick work of his brain. In an attempt to appear as unaffected as possible, Shikamaru quickly shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away.

Taking note of the boy's reaction, Gaara chose to follow his line of sight. The _Kazekage_ office offered a lovely overhead view of _Suna_, a luxury that grew increasingly rare to enjoy as work continued to pile up. He couldn't remember the last time he'd ever stood where Shikamaru was right then, simply enjoying the sights. With the boy's recent trips to _Suna_ becoming more and more frequent, Gaara wouldn't be surprised if Shikamaru knew the village better than he did by then.

Absently, he touched the tattoo on his forehead, self-inflicted so many years ago. Years of isolation and hatred, both given and received. It seemed like another life to him now, and in many ways, it was. The irony never failed to dawn on him how he would ultimately grow up to become head of the very same village that he had wished to destroy as a child. That he would take a vow to protect what his mother had cursed on her deathbed.

No longer wishing to dwell on the past further, Gaara tore his sight from the window.

"There's something I've been curious about," he spoke up, turning to face Shikamaru, "Why are you still ranked at a mere _chuunin_ level? We both know you are in possession of more than enough skill to advance."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Probably, but I see no need to. _Chuunin_ pay is adequate enough to live off of. Besides, I'm not in this line of work for the glory or acknowledgement."

"Then why are you?"

"Honestly?" The boy gave a half-hearted smirk. "When I was young, I wanted to become a ninja so I could live an easy life in my later years."

Gaara opened his mouth to comment, but Shikamaru beat him to it.

"I know, I know." He waved a hand, as if dismissing the thought, before growing serious. "What I hadn't counted on back then were the experiences I would gain in such a short period of time. You just can't walk away from things like that."

"No, you can't." Gaara agreed softly, thinking of his own past battles fought, both internal and external. "But then," he continued, "what kind of life could you still possibly expect from your chosen path, knowing what you know."

"The same I always have," Shikamaru stated matter-of-factly, as if having answered the question a thousand times over. "Be a so-so ninja and earn an OK salary. Marry a regular girl, neither a beauty nor a hag, and have two kids. First a girl, then a boy. I'd retire when my daughter got married and my son become independent, after which I'd play _Go_ and _Shogi_ all day long, living a relaxed and easy retired life until I die of old age, passing before my wife." He paused, staring up at the sky. "That's the kind of life I wanted then…"

A wave of silence passed between the two _shinobi_ as Shikamaru's voice trailed off. Gaara's expression remained unreadable; he stared, unblinking, at the boy before him. Observing him.

During one of his latest visits, Shikamaru had engaged Kankuro in yet another rousing game of _Shogi_. The pair had an unofficial rivalry going ever since the first time Kankuro challenged the boy genius, and their matches tended to draw in a healthy crowd of spectators. That time was no different. By the time Gaara had arrived, they were hours into their game, and a large percentage of villagers had gathered to watch the masters at work.

Temari had the best view of all, seated right next to Shikamaru. Understanding how serious the game was, Gaara had been somewhat surprised that the boy would allow her in such close proximity. But he never once showed any signs of annoyance towards her, and she remained obediently silent. In his life, Gaara'd never known his sister to be so happy in a position she would normally have considered _demeaning_.

Then again, he never knew his brother was so skilled at _Shogi_.

When Shikamaru eventually won—as he always did—the roar of applause had been nearly deafening. Kankuro had made his usual show of acting outraged for a few seconds before sighing, offering a hand in congratulations as he smirked and loudly declared that next time would be different.

Temari, on the other hand, waited patiently for the crowd to disperse before acting. With a smile that could be considered half pride, half cockiness, she reached up and gave a forceful tug at Shikamaru's jacket, roughly pulling the boy back down next to her. She leaned in close and, not bothering to let go, whispered something in his ear that caused the boy to roll his eyes, but grin nonetheless. It had made for quite an interesting picture.

Presently, Shikamaru wore the very same expression as he had then, almost like he was thinking of the very same memory. Gaara was certain, at the very least, that he was thinking of _her_. Shikamaru's words echoed in his mind, the declaration repeating over and over again, as he thought about all he had come to learn about the boy. His attitude, his mannerisms, and the way he approached any situation, be it a game or a battle.

When the _Kazekage_ eventually did speak, his eyes had narrowed considerably. His voice, though calm, was low and accusing: "Did you ever really think that plan of yours through?"

The harshness of his tone surprised Shikamaru, drawing his attention back into the room. "What do you mean?"

"What if your wife did not share the same ridiculous ideas as you?" Gaara offered harshly. "What if she didn't want children, for example? Or worse…couldn't have them? Would she still fit into your plan then?"

Shikamaru was left speechless for a moment. Nobody had ever reacted so negatively to what be believed to be a perfectly normal dream before, but even more shocking to him was Gaara's sudden sour mood. It was as if the _Kazekage_ had taken every statement personally.

Turning around completely, Shikamaru leaned against the adjacent wall.

"Don't misunderstand me," he shook his head, "I'd value her opinion as much as I do my own, if not more so. Hell, with my luck, she'd end up running my whole life for me anyway."

"Having another control you in such a manner is no way to live." Gaara's eyes were still narrowed, though his tone noticeably lightened.

"Tell me about it." Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You should see my parents. I wondered every day how my father could possibly put up with such a troublesome woman, let alone marry her." He sighed. "But he told me something one day, when I asked him about it. Something I'd never forget."

"What?"

The _chuunin_ leaned his head back, closing his eyes as he recited from memory, "'She may be like that, but she has days when she has a kind smile on her face.'" He opened his eyes and stared straight out in front of him. "I didn't understand it at that time. At least, I thought I didn't."

"You _thought_ you didn't?"

Shikamaru hesitated. A sigh escaped his lips. "My father loves my mother unconditionally, just as she really loves him. As much as she yells and bitches at the both of us on a daily basis, I suppose they'd be lost without her." Smiling as if at a distant memory, he continued, "He'd do anything for her just to see that rare smile reserved only for him."

"And this is what you want?" Gaara asked, no longer holding any malice behind his words.

"I think, deep down, it's what every guy wants." Intertwining his fingers, Shikamaru placed his hands behind his head casually. "Somebody to make happy and make him happy. Somebody who, once you've found her, you never want to spend another minute without her in your life. Somebody…somebody you'd feel honored to fight beside in battle. Even die together."

_She'd like that_… Gaara thought to himself.

Outwardly, he stated, "That's not what you said earlier."

"Yeah, I know." Shikamaru shrugged nonchalantly. "Funny how life can get in the way of life-long plans, huh?"

Gaara chose to ignore his poor attempt at a joke, leaning up against the wall next to Shikamaru. "Even you can't possibly plan out everything. Life isn't like one of your _Shogi_ matches; there are too many uncertainties, too many unknown factors to take into account."

"Meh. Planning makes everything less troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, stifling a yawn. A smirk appeared. "Though, I supposed there's no harm in throwing caution to the wind, so to speak, every so often."

Resisting the urge to smile at the obvious double-meaning, he simply raised an eyebrow in question. "And why is that?"

"Because she'd be worth the trouble."

This time, the _Kazekage_ did smile. It was faint, but it was there nonetheless. Of all the _shinobi_ he had come to know over the years, none held his respect quite like Shikamaru did—not even the Kyuubi boy—and he was only further reminded of the fact at that moment. Closing eyes, he let out a small chuckle as he pushed himself away from the wall, heading back towards his desk.

"When you return to your village," he called back over his shoulder, "inform the _Hokage_ that I would be honored to continue with the negotiations of this alliance."

"Alliance?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "_Suna_ and _Konoha_ have been allies for years. Don't tell me that's what all this letter-running back and forth I've been doing the past three months has been all about…"

Gaara paused in his steps just before reaching the edge of the desk.

"You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?"

He turned back around to face the _chuunin_, a very uncharacteristic smirk tugging at his lips. One not unlike what he used to wear during his sadistic, homicidal days.

Shikamaru raised the other eyebrow.

---

---

Less than half a minute later, he dashed from the room at a speed Gaara hadn't even been aware he could achieve. Were it not for the circumstances, he might have been more impressed. Instead, he was amused. More so than he had been for a very long time. Given the look in Shikamaru's eyes, there was no doubt he was off in search of a certain blonde.

The only question was: which one?


	4. Naruto & Hanabi

-

Why Naruto and Hanabi? Well, I say: why not? The chibi-Hyuuga is screaming for some character development, and for some reason I can picture her easily getting along with Naruto, if ever given the chance. We don't know much about her other than the fact that she's a little daddy's girl, so I decided to give our little "firework" some personality.

Basically, it's just another excuse for me to mess around with the Naruto-verse again.

Apologies for taking so long to update. I had originally started on it months ago, before getting overwhelmed by college and work. I've also begun working on a much more complicated epic story for the Naruto category, which will premiere when I get around to finishing _this_ story. Time is very hard for me to come by, so I ask you all to please be patient with me.

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"The Scenario Series"  
Part 4 of 10  
by Tsubasa Hane

--

--

'_Wonder which one it is...'_

He'd spent nearly ten minutes absently staring at the outer wall, trying to figure out which area might be the best place to jump. Sure, there always was the possibility of simply taking out both of the guards right there and then—Hyuuga or not, they were no match for the future _Rokudaime_!. It would be their fault for slamming the entrance gate right in his face. Ultimately, however, he decided that such a course of action would do more harm than good, including upset Hinata even further.

_Hinata._

A frown made its way to the boy's face as he recalled the girl's more recent actions towards him. She had always seemed a little weird to him, face flushed at an almost unhealthy shade and frequency, not to mention her sporadic fainting spells. At first, he just thought she was sickly. Then, he thought she was just _really _shy…though, according to the others, she never acted that way around anyone but him. Timid, yes, but never to the point where unconsciousness would overwhelm her.

For a time, he had harbored the thought that maybe…just _maybe_…she had a crush on him. He never spoke such thoughts aloud, often feigning obliviousness to her actions in fear of a confrontation. Fear that he was wrong. The thought of such a sweet, cute girl actually _liking_ him as more than a friend was almost too good to be true for the lonely orphan. Esepcially a girl like Hinata; he had once told her, in all sincerity, that he liked girls like her, a feeling that never wavered as he got older.

Her behavior as of late wasn't helping things, either. Where he once might have received an adorable smile and pinkened cheeks, there were now wide-eyed looks and tiny squeaks. A once shy aversion of the eyes had been replaced with desperate attempts to avoid contact altogether. And as of late, she'd just plain been avoiding him.

Almost as if she were afraid….

He'd confided these thoughts to Sakura a few weeks prior, desperate for a female point of view. It was bad enough his pink-haired teammate and friend had spent more time teasing him over the possibility that he liked Hinata (that wasn't the point!), though the one piece of advice she did offer in a rare moment of genuine friendly concern continued to play over and over in his mind:

--

"_Just –talk- to her, baka!"_

"_But, Sakura-chan!" he practically whined in frustration, "What if she runs away, or faints again?"_

"_Well, then run after her. Or be there when she wakes up. You've never let anything get in your way before; what's stopping you now?"_

--

It was a question added to dozens of others wracking his brain, many of which he was sure he didn't want to know the answers too. Did she know about…his 'tenant'? Is that why she'd been acting so frightened around him? And if so, how did she find out? He would be able to understand if the timid Hyuuga only ever saw him as a friend, but his heart would break if he lost that, too.

It wasn't until he nearly walked into a tree that he realized he'd absently wandered halfway around the entire complex, close to the edge of its adjacent forest property. His sensitive hearing quickly picked up the sounds of someone training off in the distance—a young girl, judging by the soft grunts and cries—and he decided to head in her direction. Maybe she knew where Hinata was.

Considering the high possibility that his presence might receive something less than a warm welcoming, he decided to quietly approach through the trees. Such a tactic nearly proved dangerous, however, when he nearly lost his footing as the girl came within his line of sight. He had to steady himself and do a double-take to be sure his eyes weren't seeing what he thought they were:

A twelve-year-old Hyuuga Hinata.

Closer examination revealed that it wasn't his childhood friend, of course, as the difference became as clear as the similarities. This particular girl's hair was much darker, almost jet-black, and the short style he had initially mistook it to be in was actually the result of her ends being pulled up in a large, equally dark clip. While Hinata's skin was fair, hers always glowed like pure ivory, and the lack of bangs added to an appearance than reminded him more of Neji's. She was noticeable smaller in statue, though her young frame was beginning to show signs of maturing greatly, and carried herself in a very different manner.

She was also much fiercer, he noticed, judging by the way she demonstrated what could only be some Hyuuga-style _kata_. There was no hesitation in her strikes, no lack of confidence in her movements, and no aura of fear. There was something about this girl that told him she was a _fighter_, and a good one at that.

"You can come out, you know," she called out to him suddenly, startling him out of his musings. "I can see you very clearly, sitting on that branch the way you are, so there's no further point in trying to hide from me."

She had neither turned her head to acknowledge him, nor missed a single step in her form. Her eyes had never even opened, remaining in deep concentration.

'_Then how did she…'_ he began, before mentally smacking himself. '_Oh, right. Byakugen. Duh.'_

"I wasn't hiding!" He called back in defense, landing a few feet away from where she stood. "I just…didn't want to both you while you looked busy."

"Well, since you obvious failed that mission, you might as well explain why you're here."

He paused to blink. Was that…sarcasm he just heard? Coming from a Hyuuga?

"I'm looking for Hinata," he replied once the initial shock had faded. "We're supposed to report back for a mission this afternoon. Do you know where she is?"

"Nee-san's been out since before dawn," was the casual reply, having yet to break her concentration.

"Nee-san?" His ears perked up at the manner of address. "You're Hinata's sister?"

"You sound surprised," she remarked with a smirk, then went quiet to perform a quick series of complicated footwork. The boy stepped back wordlessly, allowing her sufficient space. He didn't want to be on the wrong end of her target-less attack, after all. When she spoke again, her breathing was hardly affected by the effort. "I suppose she never really talks about me much. Then again, Nee-san never really talks much, period."

"Yeah? So it's not just me, eh?" The remark was more towards himself than her, though she nodded in affirmation anyway. "So, what's your name?" He asked, leaning against the trunk of the same tree he had been sitting in moments prior.

The girl sighed audibly, realizing that he was not going to simply walk away and leave her be anytime soon. Her opaque eyes finally opened as she relaxed her stance, turning to him with a questioning look and hands on her hips. "Didn't you mention something a mission? Shouldn't you be focusing on that right now?"

"Eh," He shrugged. "We're not due in Tsunade-baa-chan's office until later this evening. She can wait."

She wasn't sure what surprised her more at that moment: this boy's clear lack of respect for the honorable _Godaime_, or the fact that he had just referred to said woman as 'Granny.'

"H-Hanabi," she resigned herself to answering after a moment, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "My name is Hyuuga Hanabi."

"Hanabi, huh? Cool name." He gave her a fox-like grin, the comparison only further emphasized by the whisker-like marks on his cheeks. "My name's Uzumaki Naruto. I'm a friend of your sister…well…sorta…"

"Sorta?" She repeated curiously when his voice trailed off. "You don't sound so sure of that."

"Well, we used to be friends…kinda…but lately, she's been acting all weird and stuff. Weirder than usual."

She tilted her head to one side adorably. "What do you mean?"

"For starters," he began, scratching the back of his head, "she won't talk to me at all anymore, and when she does, she won't look me in the eye or say much. Most of the time, I can't even hear the words coming out of her mouth 'cause she mumbles them too quietly. I don't suppose you would know anything, would you?"

She shook her head lightly, shrugging.

"Yeah, didn't think so." He signed. "She used to be a bit like that when we were younger, and I thought she was just shy or sick or something."

"Hyuuga never get sick," the girl spoke up suddenly, folding her arms over her chest in defiance. "Our clan is just as strong in our immune system as we are in combat."

"And modest, too." He joked back, rolling his eyes and earning himself a very impressive glare from his companion. Her cheeks puffed out in annoyance, and he had to resist the urge to laugh as such a 'mature' little Hyuuga's sudden immature actions. "But I don't know how else to explain it. Her face would get really, really red, and she'd even faint. I'll never forget the one time I accidentally dropped down on her from the ceiling, and seconds later she hit the floor."

"She _what_?"

"Hey, it was her teammate's fault!" He countered. "They couldn't even catch her! And they call themselves _shinobi_…."

She had to resist the urge to giggle at the mental picture, internally thinking about how much she enjoyed having such a casual conversation with someone. Rarely being out of her father's sight for more than a few minutes at a time, there were few opportunities for her to interact with people closer to her own age. She knew she should have been training, as her father told her, but...

Her pearl-colored eyes widened in realization when the name 'Uzumaki Naruto' suddenly registered in her mind. She _had_ heard his name before, and not just from _chuunin_ exams or missions past. Unable to stop herself, she burst out into a fit of laughter, bending over to clutch her sides.

"Hey, what's so funny?" he pouted, realizing her reaction to be too extreme for their previous conversation. It was as if she were _mocking_ him.

"T-that's something you'll h-have to ask Nee-san yourself," she managed a reply in between catching her breath.

"UGH!" He threw his hands in the air. "Why does everybody keep saying that? How can I talk to somebody who I can't even _find_? And how come you know something I don't?"

The last question was spoken with a heated glare, which she easily countered with a smirk that screamed of mischief. "Let's just say that one doesn't spend as much time around this place as I do and not learn a few little…shall we say, 'tricks'…for gaining certain _useful_ bits of information…" In the blink of an eye, her face took on a completely innocent expression as she placed her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels lightly. "You know, just in case something might prove valuable to the clan."

"Uh-huh. The clan." His replied dryly, though his interest was more than piqued. "And what kinds of information are we talking about here?"

"Not much, actually." She answered casually, her nose wrinkling slightly. "Most of the clan are a bunch of rule-abiding stiffs."

"Including yourself?" He asked.

"I'm a perfect little angel." She replied innocently. "'Tou-sama said so."

He wasn't fooled for a second. "Riiight. Anything involving Neji?"

"Maybe…" she replied in a sing-song voice.

Darting her head dramatically from side to side in reassurance that there was no one else around, the girl practically skipped to his side before motioning for him to lean down. He held quite a few inches over her, and practically had to crouch for her to properly whisper into his ear.

A few words in, and his jaw hit the floor.

"You're kidding!" He exclaimed, pulling back to look at her incredulously.

A shake of the head.

"You mean…"

This time, a very enthusiastic nod.

"And…_black lace_?"

The poor attempt at stiffening her giggles was all the confirmation he needed, coupled with the look of satisfaction on her face he had come to be very familiar with during his younger years. It was the same look that used to greet him in the mirror every time he managed to successfully complete a well thought-out prank. This girl had the heart of a true prankster, and he found himself beaming with pride as if she were his own protégé. He began making plans to introduce the little firework to his _other_ protégé…

…right after he got those images of his head, that was. He wasn't sure he would look at Neji the same way ever again. Or Tenten, for that matter.

"How exactly to you find all this out?" He wanted to know. "You gotta tell me your secret…professional curiosity, of course." He added.

"Can't," she answered simply, then placed a finger to her lips. "Hyuuga family secret. Most of the time, I simply pick up a few things while training with 'Tou-sama. He would always say that information-gathering and a vast knowledge of what goes on within the Hyuuga walls were a crucial aspect of becoming Clan Head."

It took her second for her words to sink in. "Wait…Clan Head?" He blinked. "I thought Hinata was supposed to—"

"Well, she's not." She interrupted curtly, more so than originally intended.

When he sent a look at her radiating both surprise and confusion, she heaved a sigh and moved to sit on a nearby log. Her legs dangled inches above the ground, and she stared them as they swung lightly back and forth. Avoiding eye-contact. Trying to figure out how to explain.

"It is unusual for a firstborn not to inherit, and I do believe that Nee-san and I are making Clan history as such," she began hesitantly, "However, 'Tou-sama truly believes that such actions would be best for the Clan. He is placing someone more suited to be the heir of heavy burden and responsibility."

"Hinata's strong!" He countered back stubbornly, in his friend's defense.

"It's not about strength," she shook her head. "And it never was. 'Tou-sama realizes that now, which is why he is doing this."

"I don't understand."

The little Hyuuga sighed quietly. "Nee-san is a very kind person. She always has been, and she always will be. 'Tou-sama once told me that she reminds him of 'Kaa-san every day, which is why he tried to push her so hard."

Her voice quavered slightly, as if it were difficult to bring up the memory of her mother. He remained silent, empathizing with such feelings.

"However," she continued, "her heart is simply not into the idea of fighting. Don't get me wrong; Nee-san has more than proved herself in numerous battles over the years. But she has also been spending more and more time studying the art of medicine, and would rather help those injured in battle than go into combat herself."

"Her medicine…" he began slowly, recalling a memory from the chuunin exams years ago. "She always carried that healing balm with her. Even gave me a jar, though I wasn't on her team at the time and we were only casual acquaintance at best."

A smile tugged at the girl's lips, though she restrained from commenting further on the matter, settling for a faint nod. "You see? Nee-san's far too gentle of a person to ever lead the Hyuuga Clan." She turned her sight towards the outer wall of the complex, her voice growing strangely distant. "'Tou-sama always seemed so cold and dismissive, but you must believe me when I say he truly loves Nee-san and I both. His words were always meant to inspire Nee-san to improve, to grow so that she could prove him and the Clan Elders wrong. He wanted so desperately for her to be his heir that it took him years to realize what was really best for everyone."

"And what would that be?"

"To free her from that burden, and instead pass the responsibility on to me," she stated with a weak smile. "Nee-san was meant to help people, not lord over them. She would be much happier this way, wouldn't you agree?"

He frowned at her supposed 'logic.' "I suppose. But…if Hinata doesn't become head of the main branch, does that mean…"

"NO!" Her head snapped to meet his eyes so abruptly, and the sheer volume of her sudden outburst startled them both. Catching herself, she quickly turned her sight to the ground from embarrassment. "No, I would never let that happen. After all, we are already breaking one clan tradition by allowing a second-born to inherit. I see no reason why another pointless and downright cruel law should continue either. It just wouldn't be fair to Nee-san."

"And what about you?"

"What?" The question caught her off-guard, before she corrected herself. "I mean…what do you mean by that?'

"Every other sense in you so-called 'explanation' has been about Hinata and what's best for her, or what's best for the Hyuuga. But what about you, Hanabi?" She blushed as he addressed her so formally, his voice and tone completely serious. "Don't get me wrong—it's great that you're so concerned about others, and Hinata is my friend and all…but what about you?"

"I…"

"Do you really want to become head of the Hyuuga Clan?"

"Of course I do!" She exclaimed, though her voice sounded less certain than it had before.

"Do you really want all that responsibility to fall on your shoulders?"

She hesitated before replying: "It's what I've been training for my whole life."

"But isn't there anything else in life you've ever wanted? Anything you've ever wanted to do or be, not because somebody told you to, but because _you_ want to?"

She opened her mouth to answer, and froze when realization dawned on her that she didn't have one. No one had ever really asked her opinion on such matters before. Not her father, not the clan elders…not even Hinata. She never minded before, but now her mind was filled with sudden doubt. _Did_ she want to become Clan Leader? Or was she martyring herself for the sake of her sister?

_And more importantly_, she thought sadly, _do I even have a choice?_

"We all have a choice in life," the boy stated suddenly, as if reading her thoughts. Placing his hands behind his head, he offered a wide grin. "If you think about it, life is like a bowl of ramen…"

"Ramen?" An eyebrow raised, and in spite of her better judgement telling her otherwise, she urged him to continue.

"Well, think about it. You've got miso ramen, pork ramen, noodle ramen, spicy ramen, bland ramen, ramen with eggs, ramen with mushrooms…there's practically a type of ramen for everybody!" He spread his hands wide, proclaiming the fact as if it were the most important thing in the world. "But no two people like their ramen exactly the same. Say, for example, a bowl of ramen was made especially for Hinata."

"She likes miso," she added, not quite sure why she was going along with the conversation.

He nodded in understanding. "Okay, say a bowl of miso was made just for Hinata, but it was too spicy or too big or something else was wrong with it. Even though it would be a shame for abowl of ramen to go to waste, just because it didn't suit Hinata doesn't mean you should have to eat it. What if it didn't suit you, either. What if you were better suited for pork ramen, or chicken-flavored ramen…do you see what I'm getting at here?"

"Um…" she answered hesitantly, still trying to wrap her mind around the bizarre metaphor. "I…think so?"

There was a moment of silent that passed between the two before a low, distinct growl was heard. The boy quickly placed one hand over his stomach, offering a sheepish smile to his companion.

"Sorry about that," he apologized. "I guess all this talk about ramen's made me hungry. Hey!" he exclaimed suddenly. "Wanna come with me to Ichiroku's? My treat!"

"Huh?" She blinked, her eyes shifting hesitantly towards the compound. "But…I'm supposed to be trai—" her stomach cut her off mid-sentence with a growl that rivaled his.

"Can't train on an empty stomach!" He laughed, and began walking towards the village.

Though her cheeks burned a shade of red that rivaled her sister's from embarrassment, she had to he had a point; breakfast had been hours ago, and she never did have lunch.

"Besides," he called back over his shoulder," if you plan on going through with that whole inheritance thing after all, then it only seems right that the future Hyuuga Clan Leader and the future _Rokudaime_ get to know one another better, don'tcha think?"

"I suppo—wait, what?" She did a double take as his words sunk in, only to find him already almost out of sight, having increased his pace to a brisk jog. "Hey, wait for me!" she cried out, running to catch up.

As the call of Ramen beckoned the two young _shinobi, _both her training and his original mission were quickly forgotten….


	5. Sakura & Lee

-

Wow…it's…uh…been a while, hasn't it? -scratches back of head nervously- In my defense, I've had a lot going on since my last update. But you don't wanna hear about my life, do you? You want the meat of the story. Well, too bad. I'm a vegetarian. I am also Irish, however, so I can give you the potatoes, at least.

Once again, I was forced to switch things around to better suit my needs. Originally, I was gonna do Tenten and Hinata. Then I was going to switch it to Kiba and Hinata. I'm still deciding, so in the meantime I decided to do a Sakura/Lee. Just for the record, yes I am a fan of this pairing. I'm also just plain a fan of Lee in general.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Scenario Series"  
Part 5 of 10

by Tsubasa Hane

--

--

She'd tried to just forget about things and move on with life. Tsunade-sensei had even offered a week's worth of relief from both missions and training duties, which she readily accepted. All shifts at the medical center would be covered. It had been a good while since she'd had a nice vacation, after all, and then seemed like as good a time as any. There was no fault on her part by accepting such an innocent proposition, right?

After all, it wasn't as if that one moment in time still haunted her every thought. As if she could still feel the warmth of his hot breath as his lips lingered near her ear, causing a shiver to run up her spine at the mere promise of physical contact. As if her mind replayed, over and over again, his last words before disappearing out of her life once more….

A faint gust of wind blew through her cherry blossom-colored locks, and she closed her eyes as a few random strands tickled her nose. Arms already resting upon the bridge railing, she put her head down and allowed herself a deep, calming inhalation before sighing audibly. There was no one around to hear; there hadn't been a soul since she'd returned from her last mission.

Not that it was entirely their fault. After all, how could anyone be expected to understand when she had yet to say a word?

The wind barely settled when she felt a sudden presence appear directly behind her. Muscles instinctively tensed, an overwhelming sense of déjà vu momentarily sweeping over her. Unlike last time, however, this presence was inherently familiar, and much more welcoming. It also had not bothered to mask its presence, and had only escaped her noticed until that moment due to her mental distraction. She recognized the aura almost immediately.

"Lee-san," she greeted him warmly. "What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way in returning from the latest mission assigned to Neji-san and myself, when I noticed you standing here, on this bridge."

In spite of her previous mood, she allowed herself a faint smile. One couldn't help it when in his presence for very long; even the casual tone of his voice seemed to radiate a warmth and liveliness that had yet to be matched by anyone else she knew. "I see," she replied, standing up-right. "May I ask how it went?"

"A complete success!" he announced, with as much enthusiasm as she had been expecting. There was no point in querying him further; aside from the fact that most missions he took nowadays were top-secret, she wasn't sure her eardrums would be able to withstand the details.

Stifling a giggle at his usual behavior, she finally opened her eyes and turned in time to catch him throwing a fist in the air, further emphasizing his statement. She was also just in time to catch the subtle wince he gave at said notion. It was almost invisible to the untrained eye, but even on vacation her eyes were far from untrained. Her medic side kicked in instinctively, and she quickly closed the gap between them to inspect his arm and shoulder.

"And don't even try avoiding it, Lee-san," she warned him as he opened his moth to protest. "You'd walk off a compound fracture if it threatened to interrupt your training." She shot him a look that was only partially serious, and he—recalling such times in the past where he had done as such—had the grace to blush.

A comfortable silence passed between the two as the medic carefully passed over ever inch of muscle and tendon from shoulder to elbow, gently poking and prodding for any sign of injury. Seldom had she ever been in such close proximity to him, a fact he found himself suddenly all-too-aware of.

Her hands were warm and soft to the touch, charged with chakra. The scent of strawberries and cream emitting from her hair attacked his nostrils as he looked down at her, internally admiring the way her face scrunched up adorably in professional concentration. Strands of hair blew gently across her face with each gust of wind, and it took more restraint than he thought possible to resist the urge to brush them away. As it was, her touch alone nearly drove him crazy; his suit was like a second skin, and hardly shielded his senses from the faint tingle that lingered every time on of her fingers brushed against it.

After a few moments (which felt like an eternity to him), she stepped back. "Well, from the overall lack of swelling, I'd say nothing is broken. Just a pulled muscle. I'd recommend a bit of direct heat applied to the areas of pain, as well as a good day's worth of rest."

"If Sakura-san recommends it, then it must be done!" He stated with a smile, saluting with his other hand. "And if I do not properly rest for the full duration of time, I shall meditate under a waterfall for an entire week. And if I cannot do that, then I shall—"

She had her hand covering his mouth before he could even finish the thought: "Let's…just hope that you can sit still for longer than five minutes, then, all right?"

This time, it was he who noticed immediately. Merely a flicker of a moment of eye contact, but at such a close proximity, that flicker revealed to him a lack of sparkle in her eye that usually came with one of her gentle smiles. The fact that she refused to look at him directly for any length of time confirmed his suspicions.

"Sakura-san?" he asked cautiously, "What is it? What is troubling you?"

She winced at the question, inwardly cursing herself for allowing him to notice. For not hiding it better. "It's nothing," she murmured. "It's not important. Really."

"But it must be, to cause your eyes to lose that beautiful, youthful sparkle of theirs!" The expression was hardly unfamiliar, though the tone behind it was. It was much more subdued than usual. More serious. "I have not seen you this saddened since Sasuke-san…"

The flinch was even more visible at the name, and any remaining words died on his lips. When it came to the subject of her long-lost teammate, she had always been a bit sensitive—and understandably so. But this time was different. His eyes widened in both shock and momentary disbelief before narrowing into a much gentler expression.

"I see," he began, his voice carrying no traces of accusation. "You have seen him. You have seen Sasuke-san."

"I-it's not what you think," she began, panic inexplicably beginning to take hold. "I wasn't looking for him, I swear! I wasn't even expecting him to be there. He just…appeared in front of me, and I…I…"

"Shh. It's all right." He tried calming her down. "I believe you."

The pain he felt from her was almost palpable, and more than enough to make his own heart physically ache. "I haven't even told Tsunade-sensei about it yet," she admitted dejectedly, "I mean, I know I probably should…but a part of me can't seen to grasp exactly what happened. Part of me still can't believe it did."

"He did not hurt you, did he?" His eyes briefly scanned her exposed flesh for any sign of injury.

"No. He didn't." she shook her head, then frowned. "It was strange. Almost like he didn't want to fight me."

"Perhaps he did not?" he offered.

"Then why the confrontation?" she asked, her face scrunching up in confusion. "I would never have known he was even there if he hadn't made himself known to me."

"Well," he began, folding one arm across his chest and holding his other hand to his chin in thought. "What did he say to you?"

She grew very solemn, and for a moment he feared he had said the wrong thing. "I think…" she began, her voice full of hesitation. He could tell that this was harder for her than she let on. "…I think he was trying to tell me that he plans to come back. That he'll eventually return to Konoha…to…us…"

"Sakura-san?"

"But that's good isn't it?" She tried to smile, but her voice grew weaker with every word. "It means he hadn't really abandoned us. He won't kill Naruto or betray Konoha, or do anything that could jeopardize his chances of coming home. I should be happy, shouldn't I?"

The tears welling in her eyes told him otherwise. "But you are not."

"I don't know," she shook her head. "I don't know how I feel anymore. I mean, of course I want him to come back. But not like how I used to." She closed her eyes in reflection. "After he left, there were nights when I would cry myself to sleep at night, thinking of how things used to be. They weren't perfect, but they weren't bad, either. I know he thought I was annoying. I was little more than a pest to him, and he didn't hesitate in letting me know." She chuckled ironically to herself. "Heh. I deserved it. After treating Naruto like that for so long, it was like getting a just taste of my own medicine. Most girls would probably have given up by then. I'm sure the majority had—superficial childhood crushes can only last for so long, you know."

"I take it yours did not." He spoke softly.

She shook her head, smiling sadly as she opened her eyes and turned to him. "You know, I never did tell anybody why I loved him. Not even Ino."

There was a pause, and thought it saddened him to be speaking of such painful matters on both their parts, he took a modest pride in the fact that she was willing to share the pain with him.

"I mean, sure…he was cure, smart and mysterious. What girl couldn't resist?" She rolled her eyes at the sarcastic question, earning a slight chuckle from him, before growing more serious. "But that wasn't it. It was something I saw inside him. A child who had gone through hell and back, losing his entire family clan to such a traumatizing memory. He'd seen more things in one night than some ninja see in a lifetime, things that would have turned a lesser person away from the ninja way of life forever. But he chose to fight. Not for recognition, but for strength. Inside and out. He…" her voice cracked, "…he was so alone with no one but himself for encouragement. It's no wonder he was fueled by thoughts of revenge and revenge alone. He never knew anything else…"

She wiped away at a few tears, at which time he noticed her hands shaking badly.

"And then," she continued," we were assigned to be on the same time. I thought this would be my chance to get to know him better. To see where it was he got his strength from. How it was that he could never give up after everything. He never gave up, Lee-san…never…"

"I know," he commented gently.

"He'd probably never admit it to anyone, but he and Naruto grew to become the best of friends. Sure, they hid behind the façade of some fierce rivalry between them…but I think it was more they found a kindred spirit in one another." She paused for breath. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous of Naruto at times, but that rivalry of theirs was what had started to quench his desire for revenge. He no longer needed hatred as an excuse to get stronger. He had us. And he…he was on his way to becoming genuinely happy before…"

It was here she could no longer continue, and he rushed to her side in fear that her legs would give out. His arms enveloped her in a tight, secure hug as he allowed her to cry into his shirt. She cried until his shirt material was soaked with tears, clutching at his arms for support. Even as she began to settle down, he gently pulled back to wipe at her cheeks but refused to let go.

"You still love him," he stated, "and you probably always will."

She hiccupped once, then nodded. "I can't help it. I'm sorry."

He smiled. "For what? He was your first love, Sakura-san. Generally, those are the ones that stay with you always."

There was a subtlety behind his words that caused her to look up at him. Guilt threatened to overwhelm sadness when he noticed the look he gave her; how could she have been so selfish? Here she was, prattling on and on about her 'precious' Sasuke to the one person who probably understood the pains of unrequited love even better than she…because she was the cause of it.

"Oh, Lee-san," she began, immediately pulling away in shame. "I—"

"I already told you there's no reason to apologize, Sakura-san." The smile on his face made her heart break even further. "I could never find you at fault for something I, myself, can not control. The heart wants what it wants, regardless. And besides," he continued, taking both her hands in his. She didn't have the strength to resist. "having you for such a dear friend is more than I could ever have hoped for."

"Lee-san…"

Before he could stop himself, he learned forward so far that their foreheads touched. "My offer still stands," he whispered. "Now and forever, I will protect you with my life. I promise to always be there for you…even if just emotionally…."

Any further words she had previously managed to choke up died on her lips. At a loss, she did the first thing she could think of: pull the boy into a tight hug. There were no tears this time, however, and the two remained in that position in silence for a time, until interrupted by a loud grumble.

She blushed furiously, pulling away to place a hand over her stomach. "…guess I shouldn't have missed lunch," she joked weakly. The two shared a laugh, as she found herself able to genuinely smile for the first time since the start of their conversation. "You hungry? If we get to Ichiraku's in time, there's a slight chance Naruto won't have eaten their entire stock yet."

"I still have to report to Hokage-sama on the success of my most recent mission," was his answer, "but it should not take long."

"Great!" she exclaimed, extending an arm playfully. "Shall we then?"

He mirrored the grin on her face and accepted, and together the pair headed back towards the village. They made it only a few feet, however, when something caused her to hesitate in her step. He looked to her questioningly, wondering if she had perhaps forgotten something important and could not go with him after all.

After a moment, she finally spoke. "You truly are strong, Lee."

"Why do you say that?" He was surprised at the sudden compliment and, in spite of the pride he felt at her sincere words, wondered where it had come from.

"Because there are few guys in this world who would be willing to come second in a girl's heart."

He stared at her, a cross between sadness and happiness passing between the two. It was a bittersweet declaration, and he could not describe the emotions that stirred within him. In the end, he could only smile at the beautiful girl at his side, and replied:

"I told you, Sakura-san…I would do anything for you."


	6. Tenten & Neji

-

When I first began this story, I had very little knowledge of the **Naruto** world and its characters. Nearly a year later, and I've been able to catch up in both anime and manga, and in that time become an avid fan. There's hardly a character I don't like in some way, and I take great joy in knowing that the new season begins next month and that I will get to enjoy watching it while at Katsucon.

The first arc I ever watched in its entirety was _Curry of Life_, which people seem to either love or hate. I love it. Among other things, it introduced me to the concept of Neji/Tenten. Now, I've read many fanfictions of these two, and it never fails to amuse me just how many interpretations there are to their relationship. Everything from blind devotion to oblivious apathy. But by far, my favorite has to be Nate Grey's way of handling them, even though they aren't the main focus, in White Dog Night. It's one of my favorite series on this site, and I highly recommend it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Scenario Series"  
Part 6 of 10  
by Tsubasa Hane

--

--

There was little she wouldn't do for him. Be it follow on the most dangerous of missions or partake in the most taxing of training regimes, she was at his side in a single heartbeat. All without the promise of anything but the faintest nod of acknowledgement in return. But, then again, little else mattered to her; the fact that he _did_ acknowledge her presence in the way he did—that he treated her like a partner and equal—was more than enough.

It was a concept few of her fellow _kunoichi_ could understand. How could a girl be so in love, they asked, and not desire at least some form of affection?

That was just it, she always replied, she wasn't in love. She was devoted. Unconditionally and unquestioningly. Emotion was a rare luxury she saw little need for, and as such had outgrown years ago…

"That arrogant—" **_THUNK!_** "—hot-headed—" **_THUMP!_** "—inconsiderate—" **_WHOOSH!_** "—ungrateful—" **_CHING!_** "pathetic excuse for a partner!" **_BAM!_**

…though that never stopped her from getting considerably pissed-off now and then.

--

--

She was standing in the center of their usual training area when he found her, surrounded by a cluster of badly-scarred trees and fallen branches. Dirt had matted to her clothing and hair, and her trademark twin ox horns were in great disarray. Every inch of exposed skin was covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

But while most other females he knew would have long since quit, opting to tend to their appearance over further training, she remained, eyes closed and clutching her weapons scrolls to her chest. A moment later, she placed them carefully on the ground, standing upright. Though her back was to him, he knew her brows were furrowing in deep concentration.

Bracing himself for the oncoming gust of wind, his sight never once left her as she flawlessly executed the necessary hand seals:

"_Shoushouryu!"_

Smoke erupted from the scrolls, from which two dragon-like figures emerged. They circled around one another—and her—in rapid progression so as to create a cylindrical smoke shield. Though he could no longer see properly without activating _Byagugan_, familiarity allowed him to follow her every movement unaided.

Sure enough, a series of projectile weapons emerged from the smoke at the precise points he predicted, effectively striking every target within a full 360-degree range. Less than a second later, she appeared out the top, flipping once in the air before landing in a crouch position, her back still to him.

It was only then he finally called out to her: "Tenten, I'm on my way to report to Tsunade-sama."

What he did not say—what he didn't need to say—was that he expected her to follow.

If she was caught off-guard at all by his sudden presence or request, she didn't show it. Even the _Hokage_ had grown used to her presence at his mission reports and debriefings, regardless of whether or not she had even participated. On occasions when they were regarded as confidential, she would simply wait outside, ready to accompany him when he was finished.

No sooner had he turned to leave, however, when a single word passed through her lips that halted him in his tracks:

"No."

A raised eyebrow betrayed his surprise as he turned back. "…no?"

"No," she repeated and, without warming, spun around and tossed a _kunai_ at him.

--

"_Would you like to train with me, Neji-san?"_

_It was the same routine they had gone through nearly every day since the formation of their team. While internally, he had to applaud the girl for her tenacity, it took more than an innocent smile and non-evasive tone to prove overall worth as a ninja in his eyes. As such, he dismissed her with the same response as usual:_

"_I have no intentions of training with anyone other than myself."_

"_All right," she nodded, her voice showing no signs of any irritation or grief, and left._

_The first few times, he had dismissed it without a second thought. But every day that passed when she gave the exact same reaction—one so eerily similar to his own passive nature—devoid of any anger, sadness, or personal feeling behind it whatsoever…well, it began to intrigue him. Any other _kunoichi _of their year would long since have either gotten the hint or blown up at him. Those who didn't were bumbling, annoying idiots vying for attention they didn't deserve._

_She was different. Though never pestering him beyond the initial question, she refused to give up. Always taking "no" for an answer, but never completely accepting it. Stubborn, but understanding. And while it still did not change his opinion about her regarding skill, he could begrudgingly respect her as a person._

_Not that ever he would tell her aloud._

_When he found himself no longer able to properly focus on his _kata _exercises, he decided once and for all to confront the girl about it. Ask why she remained so persistent about training with him, and why she never took offense to his continual refusals. The mere fact that he had allowed himself to become distracted as such already annoyed him._

_Recalling that she had had a knack for projectile weapons during their academy days, he followed the sounds of metal hitting wood. They led him to an adjacent field several years away, where a sight greeted him that caused every word on his lips to die before he even had a chance to utter them._

_A series of targets stood no less than thirty feet from where she stood, each with a _kunai _directly in the center. There were no other markings around indicating wild throws; nor where there the normally expected scatter of weapons that had missed their targets entirely. And as he watched in the closest thing the Hyuuga had ever come to astonishment, she sent the remaining weapons in her hand clear across the field, directly into the center of the handle of a _kunai _already dead-center in its respective bull's-eye._

_Only then did she notice him standing there. "Did you need something, Neji-san?"_

_He stared at her for a moment, unblinking, before asking: "…what was that?"_

_Her smile widened slightly as she seemed to understand instantly what he was referring to. "A combination of steady hands and a perfected technique," she called back over her shoulder as she turned to retrieve the _kunai_. "I've never missed a target."_

"_Never?"_

_Carefully pulling out each weapon, she placed them all in her pouch, save one, which she chose to spin on her finger dramatically before catching it by the handle. "Never," she repeated with a smirk._

"_Hmm…" he grunted softly, and turned to leave. "Tomorrow."_

_She tilted her head to the side. "Sorry?"_

"_I want you to train with me tomorrow." He elaborated. "I want to see this 100-percent accuracy you claim to possess."_

_Not until he had left her sight was she able to snap out of her shock-induced trance. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she nodded absently in the direction he had walked._

"…_yes, Neji-san."_

--

Roughly a minute into their impromptu sparring session was when he first noticed the signs that something was wrong. Her aura was unusually withdrawn, yet unmistakably hostile. That, coupled with the notable unusual quiver in the flight of her _kunai_, could only mean one thing:

She was attacking him out of anger.

And judging by the canopener that whizzed by his ear, he was in serious trouble; she only used her "backup" arsenal—consisting of spare kitchen appliances and silverware—when her primary source had been depleted entirely and she still felt the urge to throw things.

"Tenten, that's enough!" He called out to her.

Her response was a pair of butter knives aimed at his jugular, which he dodged with ease. Any attempts at rational conversation were futile. Channeling enough chakra to provide him with a momentary burst in speed, he reached her side in a manner of seconds. His arms wrapped tightly around her, restraining her from behind to prevent further attack.

"I said, that's enough," he repeated.

"Hyuuga Neji, let go of me this instant!"

Her screeching protest was followed by a slew of obscenities that would have made their former sensei faint in horror. She struggled vainly against him, violently attempting to wiggle her way free, before gradually settling down. Moments later, she fell still, head hung down in defeat.

"I hate you," she muttered.

"I can see that," he answered dryly, an eyebrow raised. "Now, are you going to tell me what brought this on?" When she stubbornly remained silent, he sighed audibly, "Tenten, I don't—"

"How was your mission, Neji?"

The abruptness of the question caught him off-guard, as did the less than subtle hint of sarcasm behind it. She never spoke to him like that without reason, and even then, he could count the instances of there being reason on one hand.

By his standards, the mission in question had been incredibly simple for an A-rank. He and Lee were sent to a small neighboring village to investigate rumors of an underground drug lord conducting business right under the heads' noses. He was notorious for his cruel treatment of women in particular, which was why the _Hokage_ had refused to send…

"Wait…is _that_ what this is about?" he questioned, receiving silence as an answer. "Tenten, you're being childish."

"Am I really?" She snapped back. "Is it really childish to care about someone precious to me?"

It was then he realized his error; this wasn't about being left out of a mission. This wasn't even so much about the mission itself. It was about something that, until that moment, he hadn't even considered. Something that caused a pang of guilt, mixed with remorse, as he remembered that day years prior….

--

_He could smell the sterilization in the air. There was a dull, but noticeable pain in his shoulder, which he immediately proceeded to ignore as he shifted slightly in the bed. A groan escaped his lips as he wearily blinked his eyes open, knowing at once he was in the hospital._

_The image of a lone silhouette against the window was the first thing he saw. Female, judging by the size and shape, perched on the sill with her knees pulled up and head buried in a pair of folded arms. He knew by mere presence alone who it was at once, even before his vision had time to fully come into focus._

"_Tenten…" he whispered, his voice husky from sleep._

_The girl lifted her head at the sound of her name, and was on her feet in an instant once she realized he was awake. Bypassing all the other furniture, she chose to sit down on the edge of his bed, to his immediate right. The springs in the mattress creaked under the additional weight._

"_Hey," she greeted him, her facial features obstructed from his vision by shadow. "Are you in any pain right now?"_

_He had initially intended to lie, before deciding there was no point. "A little. How long have you been here?"_

"_Not long."_

"_You're a terrible liar."_

Only when I'm with you, _she answered internally. "I…though you were going to die," she rationalized. "When they brought you in…I…"_

"_How're the others?" He asked abruptly._

_As he suspected, she immediately relaxed from the sudden change in subject matter. "Shikamaru and Kiba had the least amount of injuries, with the former only suffering from a broken finger and severely bruised ego…though I suspect Akamaru will probably be out of commission for a while." She shifted slightly in her seat. "Chouji was just as bad as you were, if not more so. He took…soldier pills. Special family-created ones. Along with depleting his chakra entirely, it burned ever last ounce of fat on him for energy. His life was hanging on by a thread when they brought him in, but he's in stable condition the last I heard."_

"…_I see," was his response._

_For a moment, there was a heavy silence between the two, then: "Neji, I want you to promise me something."_

_She waited on baited break before he nodded for her to continue._

"_Promise me the next time you go out on a mission like this, without…without me…you'll at least let me know."_

"_Tenten—"_

"_Please, Neji?"_

_He was taken aback at how small her voice was. Never before had he heard her sound so…weak. Fragile. Like she could break at any moment, physically or emotionally. For some reason, such a thought disturbed him so greatly that he gave the only logical answer he possibly could:_

"_I promise."_

--

It was the only thing she had ever asked of him.

The basis of their entire relationship always seemed to revolve around unspoken words and feelings. Years spent as training partners as well as teammates had conditioned them to be able to read one another fluently. Even that night in the hospital, there was no need to mention the obvious trails of tears that streaked down her cheeks, or the fact that their hands had remained so tightly clasped the entire time with no intention by either party to let go.

Which was why, even after he had loosened his hold on her, neither saw any reason to comment on the fact that he had yet to let go.

"You do realize," he began, leaning forward until the cool metal of his _hitae_ rested gently against the back of her head, "that you overacted just a bit, don't you?"

"…yes." Her voice came out so softly he barely heard it.

"And you also realize I can't always sacrifice mission time to look for you."

The warmth of his breath against her neck sent shivers down her spine. She inhaled sharply at the sensation, her eyes closing as her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I wouldn't care if it was a one-lined note passed on by a random academy student," she stated. "I just…want to know."

"Why?"

"Because, Neji. I could handle losing you…" he could hear not only the quiver in her voice, but her desperate attempt to restrain it. "…but I'll be _damned_ if I ever let you catch me off-guard about it."

He closed his eyes and took a step back. "Tenten, look at me."

No longer trusting her own voice, she shook her head weakly. In response, he grabbed her by the arm and gently forced her to turn around. There was little resistance on her part, though her head remained lowered. Placing one hand underneath her chin, he lifted her eyes until they met with his.

"Do you doubt me?" He asked.

Her eyes widened slightly. "What are you—?"

"Do you doubt my abilities so much that you expect me to fail on any given mission?"

She shook her head. "N-no! Of course not! I—"

"Then what is it?" He cut her off.

She stepped back, turning her gaze to the side as if contemplating the answer. When she finally did speak up, her words were carefully chosen: "Things happen, Neji. Accidents…ambushes…betrayals—"

"I was on a mission with Lee," he stated flatly, folding his arms over his chest.

"That's not the point!"

"Then if you have a point, make it."

"I…" she began, but trailed off as she found herself at a loss.

"Haven't you ever wondered," he spoke up," why, even after my reaching _Jounin_ status, the _Hokage_ has seen to it that the three of us—you, Lee, and myself—continue to take on missions as a team? Even though I have long since qualified to take missions with other _Jounin_, or even lead my own team of _Genin_?"

The thought of Neji as a sensei brought a faint smile to her lips.

The knowledge of her answer kept it there.

"No, I never had," she shook her head, "because I know why. You asked _Tsunade-sama_ personally that we stay together."

His face showed obvious surprise. "How did you know?"

"Because I know you."

Recovering quickly, his eyes turned down briefly with a proud smirk. "Then if you know me so well, you'd know that I refuse to die on any mission we're not together on," he lifted his head and stepped forward, closing the gap between them. Inwardly, he cherished the very noticeable tint of red spreading across her cheeks. "You've been at my side since the day we graduated from the academy, and I plan to remain by your side always."

"Neji…" his name passed through her lips on a breathless sigh, the hidden meaning behind his words not lost to her. Never lost to her. She closed her eyes, the look on her face pure serenity as she whispered, "Yes. Always."

Then, he did something very unNeji-like. With more tenderness that anyone could have ever thought him capable of, he reached up and cupped her cheek in his right hand. The moment was fleeting, but the electricity she felt at his touch remained long after he pulled away.

"It's getting late. The _Hokage_ will be wondering where my report is," he turned to leave. "Follow me?"

Her clothes were rumpled and covered in dirt. Her hair was a tragedy. Her face was completely flushed. There were weapons scattered everywhere, as well as half her kitchen. She was exhausted, sore, and her body protested against nearly every movement that wasn't aimed towards a bed.

"…every step of the way."

And she couldn't have been happier.


End file.
